


Contrast

by MyLove_MyLife_MySoul



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Related, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:00:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29192709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyLove_MyLife_MySoul/pseuds/MyLove_MyLife_MySoul
Summary: The violet raven caught his eye at Vlonqo, and he's never known peace since.He loved it that way.Canon compliant for the most part, basically writing everything from Rakan's point of view and may diverge some in the future just to make things interesting.
Relationships: Rakan/Xayah (League of Legends)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

Rakan had arrived in Vlonqo. It was a rather beautiful town really, with all the celebrations of the harvest festival making Rakan forget about his inner turmoil for a while. He felt quite… meaningless at the time. Being seen merely as an entertainer and nothing more, it made him want more. Yet he had no idea how to go about it.

At least the wine and food that went around tasted great, he wouldn't mind sticking around a bit longer this time. He looked around the crowd of humans, with a few Vastayans like himself mixed in. There weren't many Vastayans in these human towns and villages, and most were like himself, just traveling through. He figured if anything, he could give them a show to remember before they left for their next destination.

After finishing the bread he had been eating, he stepped up onto a stage that had been set up for the festivities and had most everyone's attention already. He grinned, brushed his hair back before singing and dancing. He was joyful to hear his name and clapping as he performed, but something, or more like someone, had caught his eye. A Lhotlan like him, with long pink ears and violet feathers. A violet raven. He grinned wide and sang louder, danced more joyously, and as the crowd chanted his name, he could see the woman turn to him, meet his eyes. Then turn away.

That… wasn't right. She should be charmed! Fascinated! Even a smile should've graced her beautiful features yet she looked like she thought he was the most boring thing she's seen yet! It annoyed Rakan, his smile dropping and he stepped off the stage to run over to her. He nearly lost her, if it weren't for her pink ears disappearing behind a tree. He followed her, and just as he reached where she turned he was shoved to the ground, thrown off balance and found himself with the violet raven's claws on his neck, glaring down at him as she held feather daggers in her hand. Rakan gasped and she blinked, seeming to realize who he was and got up with a sigh, starting to walk away. "Go back to your show-boating, peacock." Ouch. That hurt more than his throat did. What a blow to his ego! 

"What'd I do to you?" He asked, following her despite her increasing speed in walking.

"I don't have time for conversation. Don't you have a festival to entertain at?" She motioned behind her, and that made him realize she hadn't let go of her feather daggers. He kept up with her pace, despite her growing frustration with him and her attempts to get him off her trail, ducking into the forest and off the path in an attempt to dissuade him. "You didn't answer my question!" He replied as he ducked under a branch and jumped over a log before spinning around and reaching her side. She pushed him, rather roughly. If he hadn't dug his claws in he would've been pushed over for sure. "No response?" "Go away." Was her only reply. He pouted, it was like talking to a wall. "Okay… different question. How's the Lhotlan tribes doing?" He asked, and she seemed sympathetic enough in this vein to reply.

"They've lost their lands." She answered simply, but Rakan felt anger boil up inside. He remembers his home, with his family, and now they had to uproot their lives for the sake of humans? It disgusted him. His thoughts were only stopped by the raven's voice. "I've been doing what I can to free wild magic. So even if humans refuse to uphold their end of the treaties, their lies, we can stand up to them. I didn't want you following me because of that." Rakan's eyes brightened some and he immediately stepped forward, too close for comfort.

"Please, please let me join you." Rakan begged, and he thought for a moment she might refuse, but then she sighed. "My name is Xayah, as long as you don't drag me down, I'll let you come with." Rakan grinned wide, "you don't need to worry! I'm the best battle-dancer there is!" Xayah just rolled her eyes and Rakan felt she thought he was lying. Well, she'll learn in time.


	2. Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is this technically canon divergent? lmao unnamed town gets massacred by our lovebirds because I just need the tension, the d r a m a.

"Remember the plan?" Xayah asked as they approached the quinlon in another town. Just how many of the damn things were there? At least this place was similar to Vlonqo, less populated. Meant they wouldn't get murdered within the first few feet of the quinlon- "Rakan." He jolted and looked over, Xayah raising a brow at him. "If you're not going to pull your weight-" "No no! Just… repeat it again?" Rakan asked with a smile, trying to be sweet. Xayah shook her head.

"Just be as loud and obnoxious as possible. Should be easy for you. I'll slip in once you distract enough guards. Oh, and they probably won't take too kindly to your display." She said and he just nodded, rounding the corner of the building they had been hanging out behind. He looked around and made a disgusted noise.

"Man, these guys have no sense of fashion or architecture, I swear." He looked around the temple that held the quinlon, the guards standing outside wearing grey of all things. "Jeez, does no human know how to spice things up?!" He asked, the guards noticing him with this particular line.

"Back away, Vastayan…" One guard growled and Rakan just puffed up his feathers before smoothing his hair back.

"I'll have you know, I'm not just any Vastayan. I'm Rakan! I'm sure you must've heard of me, right?" He asked and the other guard laughed.

"The songbird." He said and Rakan grinned wide, before twirling about and sending them a wink.

"How about you guys come to a tavern with me tonight?" He smirked and they were immediately caught off guard by the sudden flirtatious advance. "Aw, don't act like that, imagine the story you could tell your friends!" Rakan strutted up closer, and he was met with the business end of a spear. "Woah! Okay! Could've just said no." Rakan pushed the spear away with a finger. Now he was frustrating the men. How to finish this and get them to chase him around for a bit? 

"Not a step further, no one is allowed past, especially not a Vastayan." He pouted and then grinned. "Not even a friend?" Rakan slid up close and that's when he nearly got stabbed by the second guard. Seems he's done it. "Come on! I loved to brawl too!" Another swing that he ducked under. Yep, he's done it. He then danced about the two guards, and started singing a happy tune in Vastayan while they kept attempting to skewer him. Eventually, more guards came to investigate the noise, and also attempted to turn Rakan into a kebab. 

"Man, you guys suck." He taunted more. "Can't even catch little ol' me? Imagine if someone that was actually a threat came by." That nearly got him sliced in half, the blade glancing off his side and making him hiss some, but he was quick to dodge the next few attacks despite the pain. In the midst of the fight he could see Xayah run in, and only prayed she'd be quick about it. He didn't really feel like putting his life on the line for someone he just met. He hopped onto one guard's shoulders, claws digging into them, making the guard swing and fall over in his attempts to get Rakan off him. Rakan laughed at him falling. "Armor sucks when you can't get back up! All heavy and clunky. Could never wear it." He shook his head, before dodging another spear and sword. He had at least five guards here now. He spun around one guard before kicking out the knees of the next. "Man, you guys have terrible balance. No wonder! you have human legs! I have bird legs! Far superior." He stretched himself out before he was swung at once again. He yawned, finding this fight quite boring. Even with his side bleeding he kept up with their next few attacks, jumping onto a man with black hair before shoving him towards the first man he'd toppled over in a similar fashion. "Do you guys have chocolate? I'd love some chocolate right now." He said, but just as he finished that thought, cracking and crashing was heard from the temple, distracting all of them. 

Rakan immediately grinned and laughed. "Distraction successful!" He immediately ran off before the guards could slice at him again. Yet, with the quinlon destroyed, that meant magic was freed, and suddenly buildings and the ground were rupturing into trees and vibrant plant life. Screams of people filled his ears as he just ran as fast as he could to the edge of the town. When he looked back he felt… really bad. He was suddenly grabbed and dragged further away by Xayah.

"It's not a good idea to stand so close." She muttered back to him and he only nodded as he followed her. Hoping they'd stop in a town far away. 

"Does… that always happen?" Rakan asked quietly on their trek away from the town. "When you destroy one of those things." Rakan clarified, and Xayah hummed quietly.

"It depends on a few factors. Namely, distance and how much magic was stored in the quinlon. Also how their buildings are constructed." Xayah explained. "We ask for permission when we take from nature, and we always give something back in return. Humans are greedy, and they take more than they give." Rakan figured that made sense, yet it didn't help his anxiety about it. He kept remembering the noises. Xayah seemed tuned in to his emotions as she sighed and tacked on, "Vlonqo stayed intact. I don't know which factors affected it, but there was a quinlon there too that I destroyed. Probably before you got there if you didn't notice anything weird." 

Rakan nodded, reassured some that what happened back there wouldn't happen all the time. Not every single human deserved to suffer for the faults of a few of them. Although he couldn't help but feel Xayah couldn't care less. He didn't make comment on it though. It was likely they wouldn't stay together much longer if that were the case. He could always freedom fight on his own, couldn't he? If he couldn't, there were others. Perhaps more sympathetic towards humans like he was.

Mu'takl. The word rang in his head and he felt shame. Xayah would undoubtedly call him that, and every Vastayan he met if he truly helped humans. Yet it wasn't right to harm them just because of their fellow people's mistakes. Perhaps the Vastayan didn't understand that because of how close knit their communities were. Especially amongst those of similar tribes. "Rakan." He was pulled out of his thoughts by Xayah's voice. She was looking at him, and seemed to want to say something, but just sighed and said, "come on, it's getting late, we should find someplace to rest."


	3. Camp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you saw me delete this chapter... no you didn't.

Rakan hissed as he gently prodded around where the cut he got while fighting was starting to heal. It had already stopped bleeding on its own, and he was tempted to heal it, yet he figured it was something he could just let heal on its own. Who knows when he may need the energy for something else. 

"You got hurt." Xayah muttered and Rakan was half tempted to mock her for pointing out the obvious, but stopped himself as he realized it was just because his emotions were a mess. He shouldn't lash out at Xayah for that, especially because she seemed guilty. "You don't need to follow me if you think it's too dangerous." Xayah said, going to the river nearby to wet the edge of her cloak, before returning and gently wiping at his injury. Rakan hissed softly, and Xayah whispered an apology. Eventually, it looked a lot better, beyond the scabbing. 

"I don't know when I may get another chance like this." Rakan said softly, "I won't give up after some small cut." He chuckled some and Xayah sat back, sighing heavily. It seemed she was trying her hardest to rid herself of him. He didn't blame her. She acted like he was loud and obnoxious and certainly not worth the effort of keeping him around. Although, he personally thought he was great, maybe he'd get the chance to prove it beyond a distraction during their next mission, whatever it was. "Honestly though, I'm more upset I'm somehow so out of practice they actually managed to do that!" Rakan signed heavily, frustrated by that. "I dance constantly, but I guess it's different when you have to dodge spears." He laid back on the ground, Xayah watching him before plucking a leaf out of his hair, surprising him as he hadn't expected her to touch him in any capacity, especially so casually. Although he supposed just because she acted cold, it wasn't like she couldn't be fine with touching. 

"Do I have more of those in my hair? Where'd that even come from?" He asked, flipping his pocket mirror open to double-check and he spotted Xayah examining his hair, gently touching it. "I don't see anymore." She said, yet he could feel his cheeks burn. Too similar to being groomed by his mom. Even if it was only a check over and she kept her touch light, it still was too similar. It reminded him of home. Of why he joined Xayah to begin with. It helped strengthen his resolve and he couldn't help a soft, "thank you." 

Xayah paused and made a noise, "what do you mean? Thanks for checking your hair?" She seemed amused at that, but Rakan just smiled and shook his head. "No, thanks for letting me join you, and helping you. You could've done it all on your own, I mean, you've been doing it on your own for a while, so of course you could. I just never got to do much beyond dancing for drunkards." Xayah frowned at his last sentence, having been smiling, almost bashful the rest of it.

"When I called you a show-boating peacock, I didn't mean it, Rakan. Your… dances are nice. And they helped back there. I didn't get to see much, of course, but I can't deny you really are a good battle-dancer." Xayah said and Rakan smiled. "You're great too, I hope you know." Rakan then laughed and just decided to stretch. "Alright, we should probably make a fire right?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be longer but every time I tried to continue I got so frustrated with what I wrote, so just... take what I think is at least semi decent.


	4. Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating for so long! I hope this extra long chapter makes up for it, and it involves them being cuties too! Please no angry ;u;

Rakan woke with Xayah, as she got ready for the day. He just groaned, despite his back hurting from laying on the ground unprotected, he really didn't want to get up. Xayah sighed as she watched him lay about. "Come on. The longer we take the shorter we have to accomplish what we need to do." Rakan finally got up, reluctantly.

"So what's the plan today?" He asked and Xayah hummed. "I don't always immediately go after quinlons. While I was in Vlonqo I grabbed an artifact before destroying the one there. We are going to check around the next town and see if anyone needs help, if nobody does…" She shrugged her shoulders. "Guess we'll have to scout around the quinlon today. So I can check patrol routes and such. Distractions aren't always the perfect plan, and it may be best to have you with me when I go inside.” Xayah explained and Rakan could see why that was important although he quite liked distracting those guards. 

Xayah and Rakan headed towards the path before following along it towards town. Rakan hummed quietly as he thought about what to talk about with Xayah, and remembering his thoughts from last night… he decided to ask a rather risky question. "How'd you find out about our tribes losing their lands?"

Xayah's ears twitched and she ducked off the path, Rakan figured it was for privacy, as it wasn't unlikely someone was making their way from the other town. "When I was young, my family disappeared… I never figured out what happened to them, but in my investigation I did find out other tribes had gone as well. You must've left before that happened, right?" Xayah turned to Rakan and he nodded, smiling, hoping it'd help reassure her some.

"I told my mom and dad I was going to charm the humans to make them understand we needed our lands… our magic. I was really naive, but I never stopped performing because it's fun at least, also the free food. Love free food." He grinned wide, flipping his pocket mirror open to mess with it, getting anxious for some reason. Rakan couldn't explain his need to always use his hands, but his pocket mirror provided a good item to fidget with.

Xayah rolled her eyes, clearly unamused by his free food line. "What was your mom and dad like?" Xayah asked and Rakan snorted, "oh you'd hate my dad, he's louder than I am!" Rakan snickered and he saw how Xayah opened her mouth and closed it before just smiling at Rakan and making him smile back. He liked seeing her smile, she looked so pretty with a smile. "My mom is where I get my caring attitude though. She loved everyone in our tribe. I feel like it was one big family to her." Rakan added on, and Xayah hummed quietly, turning away and looking through the trees, her ears twitching every which way. Rakan could feel… damp. Like he was being weighed down by something. When he looked up he gasped softly, realizing how dark the clouds were and how the sky was no longer bright blue. Xayah turned to face him, curious about his gasp only to grunt, "really?" Rakan laughed at her response, finding it a rather funny reaction to the incoming storm, although Xayah didn't find it so amusing.

"Alright, let's see if you can help find us some shelter, alright? We're not going to make it to town in time before that comes down on us." Xayah then headed off into the forest, and Rakan was concerned for how they'd find one another again, yet he figured they'd meet back where he stood, so he headed towards the right of where Xayah had gone.

He was getting much better at dodging the obstacles of the forest, hopping over roots and fallen trees, splashing through puddles and hopping over bramble bushes to avoid getting his cloak caught in them. Rakan would often climb up a tree to see a bit better, his ears twitching as he could hear the steady noise of water droplets falling and they flicked particularly hard as water landed on his head. "Damn." He looked around before hopping out of his tree. 

Just as he felt they weren't going to find any shelter, he heard a sharp whistle cut through the noise of the wind and the pitter patter of droplets. He immediately headed towards it, and realized a bit too late a bramble bush blocked his path as he ran straight through it and earned some nasty cuts for his trouble. Rakan hissed and moved on, pouting as he realized he was getting more and more injured for his own stupid decisions. 

He was suddenly fearful Xayah would think he was useless. Rakan frowned, why did he worry so much about proving himself to her? Maybe it was the fact she was what he had always wanted to be. A freedom fighter, able to actually protect his people from harm. He could never do that as a performer, as much as he wished. Rakan shook his head and the thoughts out his mind before continuing forward, where he found Xayah standing under a large tree, it's height wasn't as impressive as it's width, explaining why he couldn't see it from the tree tops.

"Our best bet is its branches." Xayah said, speaking a little louder as the rain poured harder, causing Rakan concern. Would the ground be flooded in the morning? That didn't mean good things for their travels. Yet he followed her up the tree, hissing as he strained his cut up legs to push up onto the branches. The rain still made it through some, but it was better than being in the open. Xayah sat beside him on a separate branch, curling up and looking quite angry. "Upset our adventure has been postponed?" Rakan tried to crack a joke, smiling, but Xayah glared at him, and he realized she took this whole thing rather seriously. 

"We can't stop in town now, we were ahead of schedule… well, with the addition of you, you made me ahead of schedule- point being, this means we're likely going to have to work fast next morning if we want to keep pace." Xayah sighed, looking up through the leaves. Before Rakan could reply, a strong breeze pushed through, sending rain and cold their way. Rakan could handle it, yet he saw Xayah shiver, and curl up again. He frowned some, before making his way over to her branch. Xayah watched him before speaking, "what are you doing?" Rakan sat beside her on the branch, one leg off it although he didn't mind. "Body heat!" Rakan chirped, and moved his cloak to encircle Xayah. She couldn't hide the way her cheeks turned red, as much as she tried. "I should push you out of this tree right now." Xayah said, yet she accepted his cloak, keeping it close. Rakan didn't press too close to her, understanding she liked her personal space. He was happy she allowed this even. 

"I spy something green." Rakan smirked and Xayah sighed, and Rakan thought she was gonna ignore him before she suddenly replied, "okay, fine… is it the leaves?" "No." Rakan smiled, happy to hear she was entertaining his game.

"It's the grass isn't it?" "Almost." Rakan looked down, and Xayah followed his gaze to the ground. "The moss?" She asked, and Rakan smiled. "Yeah." He took the opportunity to look over her face, at which point she looked up, and met his gaze. "I spy… something pretty." He said with a smirk and she immediately rolled her eyes, yet couldn't hide her face fast enough as she pulled her hood closer. "Shut up." She said, yet Rakan only was amused to find he could get her cheeks red so quickly. "Acting all sweet just means I'll throw you out of this tree faster." "Then why don't you do it?" Rakan asked, and knew he caught her as she huffed. "You're a good heater." Was her only defence and Rakan laughed, happy that he managed to make her hesitate on pushing him out at least. 

"You're very warm too." Rakan replied, letting himself press a little closer and Xayah sighed some. "Got another game we can play?" Xayah asked, before quickly amending, "that doesn't involve you flirting with me." Rakan hummed a bit before snapping his fingers and plucking a feather. "Let's try to hit as many leaves as possible when they fall down." Rakan challenged, figuring this would be a good opportunity to help brush up his skills as well. Xayah smirked and summoned her feathers to match. "I like that game much more."


End file.
